Who is an asylum seeker?
The recent news of 300 asylum seekers being relocated to the Cameron Barracks has stirred up a lot of debate.
So who exactly is an asylum seeker? And who qualifies as a refugee compared to an undocumented migrant?
Here is what the experts say:
Who is an asylum seeker?
An asylum seeker is someone who is seeking international protection, according to the United Nations.
Their request for refugee status, or complementary protection status, has yet to be processed, or they may not yet have requested asylum, but they intend to do so.
They must not be expelled or returned to situations where their lives or freedoms would be in danger. It is part of human rights law and customary international law and must be guaranteed by all countries.
Those who claim asylum in the UK are not normally allowed to work whilst their claim is being considered. They are instead provided with accommodation and support to meet their essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute.
Most asylum seekers in the UK are men, despite UN estimates indicating that women and girls account for half of refugees and asylum seekers globally. Studies suggest that men are more willing to take dangerous journeys in search for protection.
Who is a refugee?
A refugee is someone who has been compelled to leave their country and cannot return because of a serious threat to their life, physical integrity or freedom as a result of persecution, armed conflict, violence or serious public disorder. It is a legal status that provides an individual with certain rights and protections.
Refugees are allowed to work in the UK once they have been granted refugee status.
People can apply for humanitarian visas from abroad. In the UK, eligible people from Afghanistan, Hong Kong BN(O)s, and Ukrainians have been able to use special humanitarian visas.
Studies suggest single men struggle to receive protection via UN refugee resettlement schemes because they are often viewed as less vulnerable than female refugees.
Who is a migrant?
Traditionally, a migrant is considered a person who has left their home by choice and in search of a better opportunity – not because of conflict or persecution.
Who is an immigrant?
An immigrant is someone who has left home and settled in a new country with the intention of living there permanently for various reasons.
They often go through a lengthy vetting process to immigrate to a new country. Many become lawful permanent residents and eventually citizens.
‘Immigrant’ and ‘migrant’ are often used interchangeably.
Who is an unauthorised migrant (or known as an ‘illegal’ immigrant)?
There are four main ways in which a person can enter the unauthorised resident population in the UK:
• Entering the UK on a visa and overstaying (including in cases where residence permission is cancelled due to a criminal conviction).
• Entering the UK without authorisation or through deception, such as using forged documents.
• Not leaving the country after an asylum application has been rejected and all rights of appeal exhausted.
• Being born in the UK to parents who are unauthorised migrants, because the UK does not have birthright citizenship.
In 2025, 15 per cent of migration came from asylum seekers, refugees and those with humanitarian visas, while 85 per cent were non-UK citizens joining a family member already living in the UK or people coming to work or study.
Asylum seekers make up 0.16 per cent of the UK’s population.
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